Vol 2 Chapter 19 (2/2)

However, if they talked like they did earlier, they wouldn’t be able to talk at all.

I would only use their right to remain silence, nothing more.

Although slitting throats would be appropriate treatment for such heinous criminals, unfortunately, I wasn’t into torturing. It was difficult to make these guys, who might be trained for these situations, speak.

Let alone letting a secret out.

Should I just drag them back to Merville then…?

「Are you going to speak whatever you know? If you do, I can reattach your wrist… it will require quite an effort, though.」

I was not sure whether I could reattach his cut off wrist. Still, it was worth a try.

「…even though you were the one who cut it in the first place.」

「If you are going to put it like that, yeah.」

…It was my first time cutting a human being. Even now, when I recalled, I felt an illusion, as if a creepy sensation were running along my arm, invading me.

However, with the situation at hand, there was no room for complaint. I had neither regret nor guilt.

Wasn’t there something else, too? I removed the masks of the two and focused on the two. Both of them had adequate Martial Art Skills. However, the man with the evil look in his eyes piqued my interest――that a.s.shole had 《Monster Tame Lv2 (14/50)》.

Although I wanted to steal at any cost, wouldn’t it be better to save the remainder of the attempts for contingencies?

However, wouldn’t he have a monster companion? I was trembling in antic.i.p.ation. Wasn’t the companion of Alba the Demon, the griffon, really cool?

In the future, when I strengthened my monster companions by making full use of thief’s G.o.dly skill, I would have the strongest army of monsters in my palm――

‘Wait… won’t I be a Demon-Lord then? Nope, not gonna happen.’

It wasn’t the right time to be having such wild ideas.

‘Ah… right. That reminds me――‘

「I heard from Roy-kun… that you gave them a false hope. You first let them run away and then tried to kill them.」

The man beside the a.s.shole flinched.

「Well, I’m not investigating that matter in particular. I thought your captain gave you the instruction to dispose everyone off behind the doors… but it doesn’t seem to be the case. By the way, what means of communication do you use? From Eleanor-san’s account, there seemed to be a huge bird occasionally seen flying.」

「…It’s useless to seek that fellow. That fellow only listens to what I say.」

Oo, a reaction. Good going.

「I heard from Roy-kun that you said you would feed him to your pet. Is your pet that bird?」

「What if it is?」

「Would you call it here right now?」

「I won’t. You must be planning on using it to make me spit everything, but――」

「I a.s.sure you that I won’t lay a finger on Pet-san. I would, though, if it attacked me.」

Saying so, I pulled my sword from the sheath and pushed it at his throat.

「If I wanted you to spit everything—I could just torture it out of you. To be honest, I have never tortured anyone, so I may be clumsy about it. Besides, I don’t need two in the first place. It would be too much of a ha.s.sle to drag you to Merville. It would be better to just tone the number down.」

「…Fine. It would be pointless anyway.」

I tried my best to feign indifference. Although it was ungainly, I tried my best.

However, I had confidence in making the pet, that would have its ties with the opponent severed, mine.

At any rate, I was glad that the kids had withdrawn to the bedroom. I would never want an acquaintance or a child witness such a cruel scene.

Although Eleanor-san was witnessing what was transpiring, she would understand that this was all an act――

「Seiji-san… you’re so heartless.」

‘No, it’s a misunderstanding~’

I dragged the two captives outside the orphanage, and had the a.s.shole call his pet.

After a while――a sound as if wind was getting sliced resounded in the dark of night, and a somewhat large bird alighted.

《Bradley Ben》――seemed to be a bird. However, it had feathers as dark as night, and jagged sharp teeth flickering inside its beak. Like I thought, it was a Bird-Type monster.

Although it didn’t possess any noticeable skill, it didn’t matter.

As the black swan perched onto the tied up a.s.shole’s shoulder, I brought my hand closer.

As I did, it raised a ‘gugyaa’ cry and bit my finger. It was almost torn off.

「Kuhiyahaha. Like I said, it only listens to what I say.」

‘Oh G.o.d, Monster Tame is so amazing.’

――I got to see some good stuff.

Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

I picked the a.s.shole’s right wrist up.

「What do you intend to do?」

「…Nothing. I cut it without a thought, I admit.」

With an insincere smile, I savored the sense of fulfillment transmitted to my body.

It was a success.

《Monster Tame》――It is possible to communicate intent with a specified monster… huh? *trembles in excitement* Calm down, me.

Although I was uncertain as to how this skill actually felt, it’s effect manifested immediately after.

The black swan, that was perched on the a.s.shole’s shoulder, was suddenly bewildered—actually, it couldn’t be perceived from its appearance; its confusion only transmitted to me.

And the a.s.shole, who could only perceive its appearance, fretted.

「Wha…t? You fool! Say something. What happened?!」

With his skill gone, the communication must have become impossible. As he couldn’t feel any response even though he frantically called out, he fell into panic.

「So much for talking so big――」

I took jerky out of the leather bag and gently beckoned toward the black swan.

――After a momentary hesitation, it fluttered its wings and calmly alighted on my shoulder.

It was all thanks to the skill, not Dario-san’s cooking, or so I wanted to think. Or was it really Dario-san’s cooking?

「――Apparently, this fellow has chosen me.」

「Fu… f.u.c.k youuuuuuuuuu! That’s mine. How could you!」

When the a.s.shole saw me caressing the black swan’s head, he screamed as if he had gone mad.

For a moment, I felt bad. However, thinking how he was a scoundrel who lacked humanity, I s.h.i.+rked the guilt.

Because he was getting loud, I reinforced 《Earth Bind Lock (Earth Bind)》 by invoking it again and quieted him.

At any rate, I would now be able to reach the place where Marita was being held captive. I was unsure whether I would succeed, but it turned out well in the end.

However… would going there by myself not be suicide?

It was necessary to hand these guys over anyway. When I returned to Merville, I would solicit cooperation from Albert-san.

――After lading the two captives on the horse, which I had borrowed from the village exclusively for carrying them, I decided to bid farewell to Eleanor-san and the kids before leaving the village.

「I will report the matter of the attack on this orphanage to Albert-san. Until this matter has been resolved, please take shelter somewhere safe. There’s a possibility that this isn’t over yet.」

「…We will. You take care, too, Seiji-san. Also, thank you once again for saving us.」

I straddled Rook’s back. With the black swan on my shoulder, I gripped the reins.

When Rook cried 「kuoo」, I lent it an ear. I knew it wanted to say something.

‘Can I really talk to a monster who wants to talk to me…?’

「――Eh? …No, it’s not what you think it is――It’s a need of the moment――I’m grateful to you as always, really――un… un.」

For a moment, I was speechless.

「Rook, you… were a female all along――…」

Author’s note: She thought she had been dumped by Seiji.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

Name: Seiji・Agatsuma

Race: Human

Age: 18

Job: Adventurer (Rank C-)

Unique: Scholar’s Knowledge

Skills

・Thief’s G.o.dly Skill (Riot Grasper) Lv3 (27/150)

・Physical Abilities Enhancement Lv3 (14/150)

・Sword Arts Lv3 (32/150)

・Abnormal Status Resistance Lv3 (1/150)

・Vitality Enhancement Lv2 (33/50)

・Light Magic Lv3 (2/150)

・Origin Magic Lv2 (20/150)

・Monster Tame lv2 (14/50)

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